THE PROVISION OF WORK RELATED STRESS AND MENTAL HEALTH AT WORK

As part of delivering HSE's strategic priority, 'Reduce work-related ill health, with a specific focus on mental health and stress', we are looking to create a specific e-learning product that delivers simplified messaging direct to small and micro SME businesses.

Mental health is the number one reason for work related illness in the UK and is on the rise, 914,000 workers suffered from stress, depression or anxiety in 2021/22.

Previous insight work revealed that 2/3rds of SMEs were unaware of the legal duty regarding work related stress, and there are numerous barriers to businesses enacting this duty, including: - Don't know the link between WRS/MH - Don't know how to recognise or respond to signs of work-related stress - Fear of unintended consequences - Stress management standards too complicated for small businesses This project is to help address these barriers by providing an easy access blended learning experience to educate employers about their legal duty and steps they should start to take to prevent work-related stress and support good mental health .

In addition the course will direct users to further resources and training, should they want to carry-on and deepen their understanding of the risks of work-related stress, e.g., HSE courses such as Work-related stress: developing manager capability.